Car-coupling



1.. .fu e e h s w e e h S 2 Km C A B S L Tl- An R T.. J.

(No Model.)

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Mey 31,1892.

(No Model.)

' 2 Sheets-'Sheet 2.

J. T. RAILSBACK. GAR, ooUPLlNG.

Patented May 31, 1892.

[72 verz ai r Mazza/JJM,

y afg@ UNITED STATES PATENT CEEioE.

JACOB T. RAILSBACK, OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,796, dated May 31,1892.

Application filed February 19, 1892. Serial bla/122,074. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, J Aeon T. RAILSBACK, of Kansas City, Tyandottecounty, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Car-Couplings, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to couplings for connecting railway-cars togetherto form trains, for connecting railway locomotive-engines to such carsor trains, and for connecting various types of railway-vehiclestogether.

The objects of my invention are to produce a car-coupling which shall besimple, strong, durable, and comparatively inexpensive in constructionand adapted for application to both passenger and freight cars of allkinds and to all kinds of locomotives, and which shall automaticallysecure the cars in coupled condition and be readily operated to uncouple such cars when desired. Furthermore, to produce a railwaycar-coupling which shall be so constructed that it cannot beaccidentally uncoupled by derailment of the cars or other vehicles.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as hereinafter describedand claimed.

In order that my invention may be fully understood,l will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a side elevation of two railwaycars provided with myautomatic couplings. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same on theline 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of one of the cars, thecoupling being removed and showing the operative connections for thecoupling. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the couplings onthe line 4 l of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of oneof the coupling-heads on the line 5 5 vof Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontalsection of one of the coupling-heads on the line G 6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7,8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 are detached perspective views of certain detailsof construction hereinafter described. Fig. 1,3 is a transverse verticalsection of the same on the line 13 13 of Fig. 1, the gravity-catch beingremoved.

Previous to my present invention railwaycar couplings have beenprincipally defective in being of what is known as the vertical type,the construction being such that in case of deraillnent the twocoupling-heads can glide vertically past each other and be thusuncoupled or disconnected from each other. As will be seen from theensuing description, I have produced a coupling which may be termed ahorizontal type of coupling, and which is so constructed that thecouplingheads cannot possibly pass each other vertically in case ofderailment or other accident. It will be further seen that I haveproduced an automatic coupling mechanism which operates entirely bygravity and the weight of the operative parts of which tends to retainthe couplings in connected position and which cannot be easilydisordered or otherwise destructively tampered with.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the bodies of two railway-cars,said cars being shown as of the box type; but it is to be understoodthat the cars may be of the passenger, baggage, or of any type offreight-cars without departing from the essential spirit of myinvention.

2 designates the draw-bars of the cars, the said draw-bars being of theusual or any preferred type and being shown as supported beneath theends of the cars by suitable brackets 3. The outer end of each draw-.bar2 is formed or otherwise provided with a couplinghead 4, the saidcoupling-head being in the form of a single metal casting, as shown.Each of these coupling-heads is formed with a horizontal cavity or mouth5,the inner wall of which isv preferably of concave form, as shown. Ateach side this cavity is closed by a vertical wall 6 and at its top andbottom the head is formed with two horizontal outwardly-projecting jaws7. The upper side of the upper jaw is formed with a depression 0h95cavity 8, through the center of which extends a vertical channel 0 forthe reception of an ordinary coupling-pin, the bottom of the cavityextending' obliquely downward and outward and the said channelcommunicating at its lower end with the cavity or mouth of the drawhead.The upper side of the lower jaw 7 is formed with a cavity 10, the bottomof which extends obliquely downward and out- ICO 'Ward and from themiddle of which leads a vertical channel 1l,which passes through thesaid lower jaw and which serves to receive the lower part of the usualcouplingpin. Through the upper jaw of the coupling-head is also formedan opening 12, which is located back of the channel 9 and recess 3,above described, and the purpose of which opening will be hereinafterexplained. 13 designates a catch, which is shown as oapproximately-rectangular form and which at its front end is pivoted inthe front part of the recess 15, which is formed in the upper side ofthe upper jaw of the draw-head by a` pivot-pin l5,which passestransversely through the said jaw and also through an extension 16 ofthe said catch. This catch is also formed about midway of its lengthwith a vertical channel to receive the usual coupling-pin, and from thischannel opens forwardly a second channel 18. In this channel is pivoteda lifting-bar 19, the front end of which embraces a transverse pivot-pin20, which passes horizontally through the rear end of the catch. Thislifting-bar extends through the opening 12, and at its upper or rear endsaid bar is provided with a longitudinal slot 2l, for a purpose to behereinafter explained.

Within the opening 12 is located a gravity,- dog 22, which is ofelongated form andwhich is of approximately U shape in cross-section,the said dog having a central or body portion and two oppositelydisposedlongitudinal flanges at its sides. Through the upper ends of these twoflanges extends a longitudinal pivot-pin 23, which passes, also,transversely through the upper jaw of the coupling-head. Near its lowerend thelifting-bar 19 is formed with an offset 24, through which extendsa pivot-pin 25, said pin passing, also, transversely through the flangesof the dog 22 at a point near their pivot 23. This pin 25 passes -to oneside of and somewhat below the piv0t,

pin 23, before described, the arrangement being such that the lweight ofthe lifting-lever shall constantly tend to depress the outer or free endof the dog 22. The pivot-pin 23 of the dog 22 passes, also, through twolugL 2G, which are formed on opposite sides of the front end of alifting-link 27. This link 27 is of elongated form, and its rear end isformed with two oppositely-disposed lugs 23, through which passes atransverse pin 29, which also passes through the slot 21 of thelifting-bar 19. To an eye 30 upon the rear end of the link 27 isconnected one end of a chain 3l or other suitable flexible connection,which runs beneath a peripherally-grooved pulley 32 upon the front ofthecar-body.

indicated at 34. The arms at theV inner ends of the brackets 33 arepreferably of such length as to extend beyond the periphery of armee thepulley 32, and thus protect said pulley against injury by contact withexternal ob,- jects. The chain or other flexible connection 3l, afterpassing beneath the pulley 32, is extended upward along the end of thecar-body, as shown at 35, and the upper end of this portion 35 reachesto the roof of the car, at which point it carries a ring 36 or otherattachment, which can be readily grasped by the operators hands, thesaid portion 35 preferably passing, also, through suitable eyebolts 37,which are secured to the end of the car-body. To the junction of theupper end of the flexible connection 31 with the lower end of theflexible connection 35 at a point just above the pulley 32 are connectedthe inner ends of two shorter chains or other suitable flexibleconnections 38, which pass over two peripherally-groov'ed pulleys 39,which are journaled in the lateral arms of the brackets 33, saidflexible connections extending horizontally toward opposite sides of theend of the car-body. The outer ends of the flexible connections 38 areattached to the inner ends of two rods 40, which likewise extend outwardtoward the opposite sides of the end of the carbody. To the outer endsof the rods 40 are connected the inner ends of two short chains 4l orother suitable iiexible connections 42, which pass overperipherally-grooved pulleys 43 at the front ends of the car-body nearits sides, and each of which carries at its outer end a handle 44. Thepulleys 43 are each journaled in a horizontal bracket 45, the bodyportion of which is of approximately U form, and which is bolted orotherwise suitably secured at its ends, as at 46, to the end of thecar-body. Each of these brackets 45 is provided with anupwardly-extending arm 47, which is of approximately L form, and theupper end of which is bolted or otherwise suitably secured, as at 48, tothe end of the carbody, said arm 47 serving to brace the brackets 45from above. It is to beobserved that while the sides of the pulleys 32extend at right angles to the end of the car-body the sides of thepulleys 39 and 43 extend parallel with the ends of said car-body, or, inother words, at right angles to the pulleys 32, the several flexibleconnections being thus properly guided in their movements.

The operation of the above-described coupling is as follows: Normallywhen the coupling-heads are not connected the catches 13 are inclinedobliquely downward and inward within the cavities of mouths of thecouplingheads, so that the lifting-bars 19 andlliftinglinks 27 areretained forwardly and downwardly within the openings 12 of the heads,the dogs 25 lying substantially horizontal. Now as the cars are broughttogether the upper jaw of one coupling-head enters the cavity or mouthof the opposite coupling-head, and this entering jaw is inclosed aboveand below by the upper and lower jaws of the companion couplinghead, andalso at each side by the side walls 6 of said companion head, the

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lower jaw of the last-named coupling-head being similarly surrounded bythe jaws and side walls of the first-named coupling head. By virtue ofthis relative position of the parts, should one car be derailed thelowering of its coupling-head relative to the coupling-head of thesucceeding car cannot possibly separate said heads, and the lateralswerving of the derailed car is also prevented by `the side walls 6 fromseparating the two coupling-heads. The front or outer end of theentering upper jaw strikes the catch 13, tilting it inward and upwardinto approximately horizontal position and pushing the liftingbars andlinks upward and rearward in their openings 12. The inner ends of thecatches 13 drop into the cavities 8 andlO, and, owing to the fact thatthe bottoms of these cavities incline outward and downward, the innerends of these catches rest automatically by gravity against the verticalshoulders which are located at the outer ends of the cavities, and saidcatches thus retain the heads 4E in con nected or coupled condition.

lVhen it is desired to uncouple the cars, the handles t4 are drawn down,or it the operator be upon the tops of the cars the rings 36 are drawnupward, thus lifting the bars 19 and links 27 upward and rearward intheir openings 12, and consequently tilting the dogs 25 downward. Intheir downward movements the free ends of the dogs come into contactwith the upper sides of the top and bottom jaws of the coupling-heads,and, owingto the fact that the pivotal connections of the lifting-bars1t) with the dogs 27 are eccentric to the pivotal connections of saiddogs with the coupling-heads, the catches 13 will be raised out of thecavities S and 10, and the cars may be drawn apart.

It will be seen from the above description that I have produced anautomatic car-coupling which is simple, durable, strong, andcomparatively inexpensive in construction, which is adapted forapplication to railway-vehicles generally, which can be operated withoutrequiring the entrance of the operator between the cars, and whichabsolutely prevents all possibility of accidental disconnection of thecouplings in the event of derailment or similar accidents.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head having ahorizontal lower jaw extending transversely of vthe head and projecting`horizontally outward therefrom, and a horizontal upper jaw alsoextending transversely of the head and projecting horizontally outwardtherefrom, substantially as set forth.

2. An automatic car-coupling comprisinga coupling-head having ahorizontal lower jaw extending transversely of the head and projcctinghorizontally outward therefrom, a

horizontal upper jaw also extending transversely of the head andprojecting horizontally outward therefrom, and provided, further, withtwo vertical side walls, substantially as set forth.

3. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head, a catchpivotally secured in the upper part of the mouth or cavity of the head,and a lifting-bar pivotally connected to the said catch and extendingupwardly and rearwardly through the coupling-head, substantially as setforth.

4. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head, a pivoted catchsecured in the upper part of the mouth or cavity of said head, alifting-bar secured pivotally to said catch and extending upwardly andrearwardly through the head, and a dog also pivoted within the upperpart of the head and connected pivotally and eccentrically to the saidlifting-bar, substantially as setforth.

5. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head, a catch pivotedin the upper part of the mouth or cavity of the head, a lifting-barpivotally connected to said catch and extending upwardly and rearwardlythrough thehead and also longitudinally slotted at its free end, a dogalso pivoted within the upper part of the cavity or mouth of thecoupling-head and connected pivotally and .eccent-rically to thelifting-bar, and a liftinglink also pivoted within the upper part of themouth of the coupling-head and having at its free end a cross-pinextending through the slot of the lifting-bar, substantially as setforth.

G. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head havinghorizontal upper and lower jaws extending transversely of the head andprovided on their upper sides with depressions or eavities,the bottomsof which are inclined downwardly and outwardly, substantially as setforth.

7. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head provided withhorizontal upper and lower jaws extending transversely of the head andprojecting outwardly therefrom and provided on their upper sides withcavities or depressions having forwardly and downwardly extendingbottoms, and provided, also, with vertical channels leading from saidcavities and through the jaws, substantially as set forth.

8. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head havinghorizontal upper and lower jaws extending transversely of the head andprojecting outwardly therefrom, depressions or cavities formed in theupper sides of said jaws and having forwardly and downwardly inclinedbottoms, vertical channels extending through said jaws, and a catchpivoted in the upper part of the mouth of the head, and having, also, anopening to register with said channels, substantially as set forth.

9. An automatic car-coupling comprising a coupling-head, a catch pivotedwithin said IOO IIO

head, a lifting-bar pivotally connected to said In testimony whereof Iafxmy signature in catch and extendingupwardlyand rearwardly thepresence of two witnesses.

through the head, brackets secured to the end f of the ear-body andcarrying pulleys or wheels, y JACOB F' RAILSBACK' and flexibleConnections leading from said Viignesses; .f

liftiug-baroversaid pulleys and to the top and H. E. PRICE,

sides of the car, substantially as set forth. JNO. L. CONDRON.

